Fishing Over Chrsitmas hols | SouthernPaddler.com

Fishing Over Chrsitmas hols

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Thought i'd post a fishing trip report from last week to give a gauge of what the fishing is like over here.
For last few years i have read posts from that side of the pond with photos of huge stripped bass off cape cod etc.

Was off work for 2 weeks so managed to get a morning out fishing.
myself and my wife give each other a morning off.
Ponds were frozen over so went to the coast in the hope for some sport on the fly.
Good thing about northern Ireland and living on an island. ... your never more than 1 hour from the coastline.
By the time kids had breakfast... (my wife is pregnant so got to have an extra hours sleep ) and fishing kit was fired in the boot (trunk) of the car the sun was up and it was a nice, if cool, sunny day.
The wind was 6mph westerly... if its higher than this and coming from the south its really hard to fish this mark with the fly ...as when its choppy its hard to get the fly down to the fish and have any kind of control.
Second and third cast, I had two great fishts and 2 fish landed.... good surging runs as the fish made a dart for the kelp.
Fished about 1hour 30mins and ended up with 6 pollock...from 1.5 up to 3.5lb.
Kept 2 at 2lb for grub and returned the others.
also had a few misses & tugs. a fantastic day.
started getting a little choppier and time was up so gutted the fish and headed back to the car.
Had a good chat with the local sheep farmer.... one of his fields was full of wood pigeon so that might be one for the future :D
20mins walk back to the car and got a phonecall from my wife saying i could stay longer as the person she was going to meet up with in the afternoon had cancelled.
Was already on way home... so Headed to my folks house instead.
On the way I pulled into a little lane to check out a local river and the lane had compacted snow.... which was now ice.
came so close to getting stuck in the car. :oops:
My dad has ceolicac disease (gluten intolerance) so can't eat flour and hasen't had fish and chips for 30years... so i filleted one of the fish.... with some gluten free flour... breadcrumbs with his gluten free bread and an egg and "battered" 2 fillets for him and my mum for tea.
My mum cooked some chips and mushy peas and texted me later to say it was absolutely delicious.
It was great to do this for my dad.... as he taught me shoot and to fish for pike etc when i was little. (he's now a golfer... not now a fisherman although i took him out once last year and he got 7 fish and it give him the taste again)

Got home... and cooked the fish whole with some waffles and spinach... the kids loved it.
They prefer to eat the fish where they can see the eyes etc which is good... the like the idea of touching it and poking it etc... i cant wait till they can catch thier own. :D
would love to get out more... hopefully when i can take them out in the new pirogue i can get out a bit more regular.

The fly i tie to use is a small fish imitation... coloured like the pollack, brown over white.
some pics: (apologies for spelling... trying to type quick)

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well wrapped up.
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2 for dinner
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meal time
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james.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Re: Fishing Over Christmas hols

Sounds like you had a GREAT day there, James. Helping your wife, breakfasting the kids, alone time with the sea and fish, time with Mom and Dad, and then got to see those bright-eyed kids enjoy a meal that evening. Only thing that would have improved that day is winning the lottery on top of all that good family time.

You're awash in family there.
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: Fishing Over Christmas hols

Kayak Jack said:
Sounds like you had a GREAT day there.
yes... worked out really well....I had a fantastic 2 weeks break.
lucky i didnt get stuck in the ice would have had to call my dad to come pull me out.

Last time i had to do that was 7 years ago when i was on my way home after visiting them and i came over the brow of a hill and into a flood in the car , water right up to the dashboard.... It was night time so i couldnt see it until my lights were on it.
Called my dad and when he and mum arrived and seen me sitting on the roof of the car surrounded by water he said "i've never been so embarrassed in my life" :D
i was thinking... what about me lol... :eek:
i then had to slide down into the cold dark water and wade over to them which wasent so pleasent. the car didnt survive.
could have been alot worse.